Saturday, January 9, 2016

The Totally Useless Stitch A Long 2016

The 2016 TUSAL is launched!

Get to stitching and save those ORTs!

What is an ORT? ORT or ort ~ Capitalized, it stands for Old Ratty Threads. These are the cast-off thread ends a needleworker cuts away. These ends are often saved in clear jars as a decorative object. The word, "ort" does appear in the dictionary, meaning: a bit of something left over; usually concerning food.

Why would you save ORTs and why on earth post a picture on your blog? Not everyone saves them. Some stitchers just toss them in the trash or let them decorate the sofa and floor. Sometimes this inadvertent decorating draws ire from those living with us. Saving these clippings in one place creates a random tangle of lovely colored thread. Posting a photo of this pile is "progress" of a sort and thus, the Totally Useless Stitch A Long was born.

If you would like to join the Stitch-A-Long:

1. Comment on this post.

2. Get a glass jar or other container and save your thread clippings. Some stitchers include fabric trimmings, thread bands, empty spools or any other stitching cast-offs they gather. You may continue filling this jar throughout the year OR you may empty the jar and start over each month ~ no firm rules here!

3. On (or about) each New Moon take a picture of the ORTs in your jar and post it to your blog. This is a blog game so YES, you MUST have a blog to be included.

4. Yes, you can use your current ORT jar or jars. This is no contest...the stitcher with the most ORTs doesn't win!

5. You should post a picture each New Moon, even if there has been no "progress" to show. We are aiming for "once a month" here...no whippings for being late, early or absent!

6. When you have posted the picture of your ORTs visit my blog and comment on my ORT report for that month's TUSAL. If I have a Totally Useless Giveaway these comments give you an extra entry. Make sure you comment on the right post, a few comments seem to sneak onto other posts!

We follow the Lunar Cycle so every year these dates change! Some years they are very evenly spaced, one New Moon each month and some years have 2 New Moons one month and skip a calender month altogether!

In years past, I have made up a "guest list" by adding a blog link list for everyone that joined ~however~ this year I probably will not do that. It takes hours and hours and hours of visiting blogs, editing the post, checking links, editing the post, correcting mistakes, editing the post. I'd much rather be stitching or visiting your blog on a recreational basis. Therefore, consider your comment to be your entry. Make sure either your profile is set to "open" so people can visit your blog or leave a link to your blog in your comment.

A request: I notice there are a lot of bloggers completely in the dark about your Totally Useless posts. They see lots of people posting pictures of ORT jars but they have NO IDEA why. They might want to join in the fun too! Please put a LINK to THIS sign-up page when you make your TUSAL posts. A link in your sidebar is great but ONLY if your readers SEE it and realize what it is.

If you want to add the TUSAL link gadget to your sidebar (in Blogger): right click on it and save the photo to your computer, go to your blog's layout and choose "add a photo" and put the address to this 2015 TUSAL post in the link option. Upload the photo and save.

A shout-out on your blog to let other stitchers know about the Totally Useless Stitch-A-Long would be greatly appreciated! Plus, please change the links in your sidebar to this new post!

I'd like to join in this year, if I may?! I've only just found my way here, and I can see I will be late, but I have a post planned and it will be on my blog shortly! Thank you for hosting Daffycat!Barbara xx

Since you say there are no whippings for being late, I'm really late to join, but it seems like such totally useless fun, that I'm in. I need all the fun I can get. http://desireescrossstitchmadness.blogspot.com/

I don't currently have a blog of my own; however, I've noticed TUSAL on occasion. After one collects all these marvelous colorful strands, what does one do with them? Can they be recarded and respun for interesting looking yarn? Can they be tossed outside for the birds to line their nests? Just curious!

I like the idea of using a jar; currently I save them in a baggie and use them when I'm doing some hand stitching. I'm past the new moon for this month but I'll post next month, by then I will have them in a jar.